Process of and apparatus for generating compound gases



(No Model.)

C. G. PAIRCHILD. PROCESS oP AND APPARATUS POP GPNPPATING eoMPoUNDGASES.- 110.352,613.

u Patented Nov. 16, 1886.

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STATES PATENT Trient' cHAnLns e. FAIROHILD, OF OBERLTN, OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,613, dated November16, 18,86.

Application tiled August 27, 1885. Serial No. 175,424. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. FATROHILD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Oberlin, in the county of Lorain and State ofOhio, haveinvented certain uenT and useful Improvements in Processesot'aud Apparatus for Generating Compound Gases, of which the .followingis a specification.

In many laboratory operations, in the reduction of refractory substancesin the production of lime-lights for various purposes, it is essentialto use combined gases, and it has heretofore been the custom to producesuch gases separately, to store one or both of them in bags orreservoirs, and to combine them before or at the time of use. Thismethod of producing and combining the gases is objectionable .for manyreasons. Thus the use of storage bags or reservoirs is expensive,necessitating the transportation of heavy or bulky matters, frequentlyresults in loss of all or av portion of the gases, and also in Waste andinconvenience, either from the manufacture of a larger quantity of gasthan is needed or from miscalculation in failing to secure the entirebody-volume required. Other disadvantages also result from the necessityof employing special apparatus in the manufacture of the gases, whichapparatus cannot always be obtained when required. To obviate thesedifiiculties I generate each gas and combine the two as fast as they aregenerated at the point Where they are required for use, employing aportable apparatus, whereby both gases are generated or evolved by theaction of the same heater, which heater derives its su pply ofcombustible material from one of the gases generated by it.

It will be obvious that generators of different kinds may beemployed incarrying out my improvement, and that their form and construction andarrangement, as Well as that of the heater,will depend to a great extentupon the purpose for which the gases are generated. Thus when the gasesare to be generated and combined for use in a laboratory the apparatuswill be so constructed that the gases may be collected in suitable belljars or reservoirs. When they are required for reducing refractorymetals or other substances, they will be combined with blow-pipeapparatus,l and when theyl are required for illuminating purposes theymay be combined with burners or nozzles, whereby they may be thrown uponthe substances which are desired to be rendered incandescent. q

. For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown an apparatusconstructed to generate and combine oxygen and hydrogen gases for use ina stereopticon.

In the draWingaFigure l'is a side elevation of one form of apparatusembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the linel` 2, Fig.l. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the generator. Fig. 4. is asectional View ofthe heater; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of one formof burner.

In the said apparatus, A is a casing or reservoir containing alcohol,coal-oil, gasoline, ether, orl other suitable hydrocarbon, and from thiscase extends a conducting-pipe, B, bent orprojected upward at the end,and provided with two branches, a b. In the apparatus shown the pipe aand other parts, which will be hereinafter described, are duplicated, asis necessary lfor stereopticon purposes in some instances. The branchpipe b terminates in a nozzle, c, having an end opening, as, adapted tobe closed by a conical valve at the end of a threaded valve-stem, d,turning in said nozzle and provided with a hand-whee1. Axially in lineWith the nozzlec is arranged a cylindrical case, D, having perforationsd at the upper side, closed at one end, and With an inwardlyprojectingfunnel, f, opposite the open end of the nozzle c.

The nozzle e and the casing D constitute a vapor-heater, the hydrocarbonvapor issuingfrom the opening w in a rapid stream and carrying with itaportion of air into the funnel f and into the interior ofthe casing D,Wheretheair and gas are mixed, and from which the mixture issues throughthe perforations d', above which it is ignited, producing an extendediiame, which, Owing to its proximity to the upper portion of the pipe B,heats the latter and volatilizes the oil within the same, so as tosupply the branch b and nozzle c With a constant stream of gas or vapor.

In order to cause a flow of the liquid hydro- IOO carbon into the pipeB, I secure a slight at mospheric pressure upon the surface of theliquid in thereservoir A. This may be done in different Ways. One whichis convenient consists in inilating an Xpansibleair-bnlb, E, andconnecting it by a flexible pipe, F, with a nipple, g, at the top of thereservoir, the contraction of the air-bulb,either by its own elasticityor by pressure applied thereto, creating the desired pressure upon thesurface of the liquid. The flame from the heater c D is thus the meansof generating the vapor. It supplies theheater,and it is also made themeans of supplying the other gas required in the apparatus-for instance,oxygen gas. To effect this result a casing,G, containing the materialfrom which the second gas is produced, is arranged above the heater, soas to be heated thereby, and thus volatilize or decompose the contents,the resultant gas or vapor being conducted through a tube, h, preferablyof flexible material, to a second rigid tube, h.

The tube h and the branch a of the tube B extend to the point where thegases are to be combined. Vhen the gases are required for use in alaboratory for ditferent purposes, the tubes h a will connect with anozzle extending into the bath, with which the belljars are used. Whenthe apparatusis requiredfo'r decomposing or reducing refractorysubstances, the two pipes h a will communicate-with the nozzle of theblow-pipe, and when, as in the apparatus illustrated, the gases arerequired for illuminating purposes the two pipes communicate with theburner H.

The burner Hmay of course'be made in dif- Y ferent ways'. As shown, itconsists of a block or casing provided with a terminal lip or nozzle,jwith a channel, t', leading thereto, and with two lateral channels, m11 the channel 'm communicating with the pipe hA andthe channel ncommunicating with the pipe a, and a valve, k, controls the flow of thegas from the generator G through the channel in, and a valve, p,controls the dow of the gas from the generator D to the channel a, sothat by adj usting tlie said valves k and p the quantities andproportions of the gases tlowing to the lip j may be readily regulated,or either or both may be cut oit' at pleasure.

The heat of the flame from the heater D is l thus made'the means ofgenerating two different gases simultaneously from different materials,which gases are brought together in any required proportions andcombined for such use as may be desired, the generation being continuedas long as any gas is required, and when no more is necessary being atonce arrested, the gases being thus secured in the desired combinationwithout the use-of storage reservoirs or receptacles, without theliability to loss and explosion which results when'such receptacles areemployed,'and without the expense of construction, use, andtransportation involved when the gases are generated separately andstowed in different receptacles for subsequent use. It will also beevident that by combining with a single heater two reservoirs ofrmaterial from which two diiierent gases may be evolved', and by causingsaid heater to act upon both simultaneously, much of thevlabor whichwould be required for the separate' production of the gases is avoided.

Inasmuch as when a single small heater is employed it would not bepracticable to heat up any large amount of material at one time,

l and as, in fact, when the gases are used as made it is not `,desiredto heat the entire supply of material at one time, I provide meanswhereby the heater acts only upon a small portion of each material atany one time, but for bringing a fresh supply of material constantly tothe heater as fast as may be required to. continue the production ofthegases. This result is effected with theliquid material by causing itto iiow through a portion of the pipe B,whch is subjected to the actionof the flame and constitutes a generator, the valve p determining therapidity of the How. With the solid material in the casing G, or withwhatever may be the material in the said casing, the same result isobtained by mounting the casing loosely upon suitable bearings andfeeding it thereon from time to time, so as to bring a fresh supply ofmaterial above the heater as the old supply becomes exhausted. By thismeans I am enabled to utilize a large volume or amount of bothmaterials, so as to maintain the generation of the combined gases for anunlimited length of time to the extent required for practical use,without at any time heating more than a fraction of either material, andwith the ability at any time to arrest the operations, leaving theremaining quantities of material unacted upon in a condition for futureuse.

It will be obvious that the heater may be a portable heater, and thatinstead of moving the casing G in respect to the heater the burner maybe moved in respect to the casing, in

which case, however; it would also be necessary to extend a part of thepipe B parallel to the casing, so that the change in the condition ofthe heater wou'ldnot interfere with the heating of the pipe B. y Y

,I have not referred to any specific material within the generator G, asthe character of the material will depend upon that of the gas to beproduced. In case the compound gas is to be used for illuminatiomamaterial capable of evolving oxygen, as chlorate of potash or nitrate ofpotash, would be used.

It will be evident that where three or more gases. are to be combinedthree or more generators will be employed in the same manner as thosedescribed. Y

Although I have described one construction of heater or burner, it willbe evident that the form may be varied without materially altering theresult.

I do not lhere claim the generator G adj ustable in respect to theheater, as this constitutes the subject of a separate application forLetters Patent.

l am aware that it has been common to generate'steam in a boiler anddecompose it in one retort and combine it with the vapor of hydrocarbongenerated in another retort from lOO liquid introduced from time totime. My invention is distinguished from this inthe fact that I useholders or cases for the entire body of each material to be operatedupon and ad- 5 just the relative position of the retort holding thesolid material and the heater, so that while the retort contains allthat is to be used I only heat so much of the retort at any one time asis necessary to generate the volume of gas required at that time.

Without limiting myself to the special applications set forth of thecombined gases, or to the construction of the apparatus shown, I claimtl. The within-described improvement in generating compound gases fromdifferent liquid and solid materials, the same consisting in feeding theliquid from the main supply into a heated generator in quantitiessufficient to generate the gas required for immediate use, in adjustingthe relative positions of the retort containing the entire mass of solidmaterial-and the heater so as to heat only so much of the retort at anyone time as is necessary to generate the amount of gas required at suchtime, and in then combining the gases, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in an apparatus for making a compound burning-gas,of a reservoir of liquid material, a generator communicating therewith,a heater, a retort containing the entire mass of solid material to beused, adjustable in respect to the heater so as to carry theheating-point gradually toward the closed end of the retort, a nozzle orburner, and connections between the latter and the retort and generator,substantially as described. 3. The combination of the receptacles forsolid and liquid materials, two generators,a single burner communicatingtherewith, aheater arranged to heat both generators, and an airbagcontaining air under pressure and communicating with theliquid-receptacle, substantially as described.

v4. The combination of a burner or heater for burning a vapor or gas, agas-generator arranged to be heated by said burner, a reservoircontaining the material from which the gas is generated, connectionsbetween the reservoir and the generator and between the generator andthe burner, whereby the latter is supplied with a portion of the gasgenerated, a second reservoir containing material from which another gasmay be generated by heat, said reservoir being adjustable in respect t0the burner, and connections whereby the gases produced in bothgenerators are brought together, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed myna'me to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. G. FAIRCHILD.

Witnesses:

IRAL A. WEBSTER, y CHAs. S. BROWN.

